Fowl-catcher.



'J. F. LUGKHARD.

FOWL GATGHER- APPLICATION FILED MAY 22, 1907.

933,257, Patented Sept. 7, 1909.

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away/W, v. w divMM JACOB F. LUCKHARD, 0F SEBEWAING, MICHIGAN.

FOWL-CATCI-IER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. '7, 1909.

Application filed May 22, 1907. Serial No. 375,017.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AOOB F. LUOKHARD, I

citizen of the United States, residing at Sebewaing, in the county of Saginaw and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fowl-Catchers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My present invention relates to improvements in fowl catchers, and has special reference to a catcher mounted upon the end of a handle in such a manner as to be allowed to entrap the leg of a fowl, and at the same time, allow the fowl to move and cause the catcher to rotate without injuring or breaking the fowls leg. That is, the catching members are swivelly or rotatably mounted upon a rod or shaft, which in turn is secured to one end of a pole or handle.

To more clearly illustrate my invention, attention is invited to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of the catcher, attached to a handle, the jaws of the catcher being shown in full lines as open, and in dotted lines as nearly closed. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the catcher, taken from the adjusting side thereof. Fig. 8 is a section taken on line cc w, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the catcher, and Fig. 5 is a detail illustrating the trigger and spring of my device removed.

Referring to the drawings :the numeral 1 designates the handle or pole, in which is stationarily mounted the pin or shaft l, which is further provided with a head or stud 1, the purpose of which will presently appear. My catcher 2, is rotatably or swivelly mounted upon this pin or shaft, and is held against outward movement by means of the head or stud l. The catcher, as shown, consists of the two members or plates 3 and-4, which are provided with the inturned ends 3 and 4, respectively. The ends 3 and 4 are provided with alined openings, to fit rotatably or swivelly upon the shaft 1, the plate or cross-piece 6, being secured to each plate, to act both as a spacing means for the platesfand as it is provided with an openlng'therethrough, which fits loosely upon the shaft 1, near its head 1", it serves as an additional bearing for the catcher, so that should a fowl have its leg caught in the space or slot d between the outer ends 5, of the members, and tussle,

bears against the abutment e.

struggle or flap to free itself, the members will rotate about the shaft 1, and thus offer so small resistance, as to not injure or break the leg, as would be the case, if the members were not swiveled.

Each plate or member, is constructed similarly with the broad portion a, having the right angled inwardly turned ends .3 and 4,-the body of the plates being tapered toward the extreme ends or terminals 7 and 8, which are formed by compressing the edges 0, upon themselves. This provides the receptacles with the walls 10 for the devices, which closes the slot or space at, between the plates. These receptacles 10, are each provided with the slots or openings 13 and 14, respectively, the slot 14, having pivotally mounted therein the trigger or barrier 11, whose inner end 12, is adapted to enter the slot 13, and thusform a locked barrier to the slot d. In order to retain the trigger or barrier in this position, so that the end 12, is held against the forward wall of the slot 13, and given a tension in that direction, I employ the spring 11, whose free end fits in the notch or recess 11, of the barrier, and

By this construction it will be seen that should the device be projected toward the leg of a fowl, that the outwardly turned portions 15 of the terminals of the members 3 and 4, will guide the device, so that the leg of the fowl will 7 enter the slot (1, the barrier being struck, and

by such striking, the tension of the spring is overcome, so that barrier is moved rearwardly and into the slot 14, allowing the fowls leg to pass farther within the slot d. After the leg has passed the inner end of the slot 14, the sprmg 11 acts upon the released barrier, and causes the same to assume the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and thus bars the slot, and prevents the fowls leg from exit through the slot. Should the fowl struggle or flap, the catcher being swivelly mounted upon the shaft 1, will turn with the fowl, and thus in no way injure or break the fowls'leg.

Should it not be desired to cause the fowls leg to strike and remove the barrier, I attach a cord 17 to the arm 18, of the trigger, and by manipulating the cord, the trigger may be held open, until after the fowls leg has passed well within the slot, at which time, the cord is released and the trigger closes the slot 0?.

In order to regulate the width of the slot cl, to cause it to assume a position as shown in either full or dotted lines, Fig. 1 I employ a screw 19, which passes through both plates, and is engaged by the thumb-screw 20, which is manipulated to close or allow the plates to spread apart.

What I claim, as new, is

A fowl catcher, comprising a handle, a shaft stationarily mounted in one end thereof, two members secured together'at one end and swivelly mounted upon the shaft at said end, the other ends being separated by a slot,

means for regulating the Width of said slot,

JACOB F. LUCKHARD.

itnesses CLARA E. Bo'r'rnn, BERTHA C. KAGEL. 

